Osage County KS Archives News.....Skinner, Suzie Lavey "Saved The Baby"  1909
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Debra Crosby http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00010.html#0002467 March 29, 2020, 9:38 am

The Osage City Free Press Apr 1, 1909 1909

         SAVED THE BABY
Mrs. Skinner's Heroic Action in Fire
  Narrowy Escaped Death in Flames
Morrison House Badly Damaged by Fire
   About 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon of this week
Mrs. H. L. Skinner, who resides on the Chas.
Morrison farm east of town, was sewing at her 
machine when she noticed a smell of smoke.
Thinking of the incubator she ran upstairs where
it was setting, but there was nothing wrong with
the incubator. On turning around she saw the
attic was afire, and fearing an explosion from
the incubator she put out the lamp.
   There was no other way to escape but to jump
from the window or jump downstairs. Seeing her
baby's face looking up over the fire, she
heroically jumped through the flames to save
her baby. Her clothing caught fire in the back 
and her hands on which she had spilled coal oil
were badly burned. She rolled her baby before 
her over and over out the doors. Then she went
to the baby buggy and secured a blanket which
she put around her and smothered the fire. Going
out of doors the wind fanned the blaze afresh and
screaming drew the attention of her mother, Mrs.
Lavey of Burlingham who was visiting her and who
was out in the yard and bade her go back to the
house. When she got opposite the tub of water her 
mother pushed her over and extinguished the flames
in a bath of ice water. Mr. Skinner arrived not 
knowing his wife had been burned and she began
to pump water and hand to him to try and
save the house. Soon her clothing began dropping
from her and she sought refuge in the barn.
  Surely Mrs. Skinner waa very brave and plucky
and showed her courage she was a sister of Pat
Lavey, one of Roosevelt's Rough Riders of San
Juan Hill.
   Mr. Skinner continued to try to save the house,
getting an ax to cut away the stairway. He came
near getting caught in the flames and all hopes of
saving the building had to be abandoned and he did 
not know his wie had been burned until after Dr.
Stephenson had been summoned. 
Mrs. Skinner was removed to Louis Monlan's home
who owns the Geo. Rath farm and where she is being
cared for. The household on the lower floor was
saved but everything above was lost, including the
clothing and bedding of the family.
   Mr. Skinner had no insurance and his loss is
heavy. There is some insurane on the house but
not enough to cover the loss. The fire caught
from and imperfect flue.
   Mrs. Skinner sustained burns on both hands, her
back, both limbs and one knee besides a severe
bruise on the back where she fell. The entire
community are in sympathy with the Skinner family.


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